Smith System Blog

Employee Spotlight – Meet Manuel Paredes

schuylerw — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:41:17 +0000

Manuel Paredes

Production Lead

For this month’s edition of our Employee Spotlight series, get to know Manuel Paredes. Discover the most challenging aspect of Manuel’s job, his favorite hobby, and why he loves working at Smith System.

How long have you worked at Smith System?

I started at Smith System two and a half years ago, I began as a T Molder, then moved up the chain as a T Mold Lead. I also assist the Marketing team in Samples.

What are some of your favorite aspects of your job?

I love the constant hustle of Production. It is a fast-paced environment where I am responsible for many things in my role in order to ensure orders are finished on time. And working with the Marketing team in samples I get to touch every department in the business to fill sample packages.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

My biggest challenge is navigating different personality types. I have to make sure I am collaborating and supervising in a manner that meshes well with everyone. With marketing samples I also have to be detail oriented and a good organizer.

Why is teamwork important?

Relationships with leads and supervisors is very important. They are always there to help you out, and I am always open to helping others out. For example if someone is new to my department I can teach them how to succeed.

What are some of your favorite music genres?

I am bilingual so I enjoy a wide range of genres from Urbano, Rock, Indie, Pop, and Country.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to work with Epoxy Resin. It's a side hustle that I really enjoy! I create a ton of things ranging from keychains, and pens, to more complex things like dinner tables. I also enjoy playing tennis.

For current job opportunities, please visit www.smithsystem.com/about-us/careers/.

How to Create a Dynamic Active Learning Environment with School Furniture

rebeccab — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 18:52:56 +0000

The active learning classroom is analogous to a chameleon. The physical set-up you see at 9 a.m. could look completely different within minutes – and not from chaos. The quick change-up is from teachers and students tailoring their surroundings to the active learning strategy at play.

That nimbleness is a defining principle of creating active learning environments in K–12 classrooms. In this blog, we’ll review why active learning pedagogy matters and how to design fun, flexible education spaces using school classroom furniture that helps teachers integrate active learning strategies (ALS).

What is Active Learning?

Put simply, active learning uses student engagement to teach. It’s a student-centered instructional approach that "involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing."

That’s according to Professors Charles Bonwell and James Eison who coined the phrase active learning in their 1991 book, “Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom.”

The professors articulated what research has since proven to be true. Students who are excited to learn through a variety of activities are more engaged learners. And more engaged learners subsequently learn more. It’s the difference between telling a student how to bake a cake versus demonstrating the process and letting the student try it solo – or by collaborating with classmates who, collectively, are running a real-life bakery.

How Active Learning Classrooms Act

Look into a classroom. Do students appear engaged? Have they moved their desks, tables, chairs and tools to work through an assignment? Are the students actively participating? Or, in contrast, are they parked in rigid desks, passively absorbing knowledge for hours?

Research has shown that learning should not be a spectator sport. Students and teachers thrive when classes are designed with an active, student-centered approach, based on constructivism. Meaning, it’s the students’ job to participate in the construction of knowledge; teachers facilitate the journey. EdApp, an online training platform, believes in the results.

“Active learners work harder to achieve success and produce better results, since they take an active role in their own learning environments.” There’s an added bonus, too. “Active learning, in general, is also significantly more fun and exciting. It goes beyond just reading and listening … everyone is expected to engage and actually do something, either individually or as a group.”

Active learning strategies engage students in activities beyond passive listening, reading or watching. The goal is to help students deepen learning and connecting with the material and each other, especially by focusing on real-life tasks. Students engaged in ALS might be:

Talking with each other in small groups or having large-group debates
Doing think-pair-share activities or peer teaching
Role-playing
Involved in game-based learning [See this blog on esports.]
Conducting experiments and demonstrations
Creating in a makerspace classroom or a STEM classroom
Doing something physical and moving around the room

What they’re not doing is sitting in uncomfortable desks and chairs, facing forward, and listening to the “sage on the stage.”

Active Learning Benefits

Increasingly, educators are seeing the positive effects of active learning vs. more traditional methods, like lectures, especially as teachers work to fill post-pandemic learning gaps. The consensus is that active learning promotes the development of the “4 C’s” and more. It helps increase:

Critical thinking, higher learning and problem-solving skills
Learning retention
Collaborative learning and interpersonal communication
Creativity and innovation
Self-confidence and adaptability
Enthusiasm in both students and teachers
Motivation to learn
Instant feedback and improvement

Study Results: Active Learning Spaces Improve Teaching and Learning

Educators are also witnessing what’s possible when the physical environment is designed to support more active teaching and learning experiences.

Until recently, few studies have successfully isolated physical space (i.e., classroom design and school furniture) and examined its correlation specifically to active learning. Steelcase, a leading manufacturer of furniture for offices and hospitals, and education furniture, has.

The company completed a substantial, four-year-long comparison study in 2020 called, “How Active Learning Spaces Impact Teaching and Learning.” It included instructor (440) and student (14,050) perceptions within 88 educational institutions; 65 were K–12 schools.

To provide a basis for qualitative and quantitative comparison, teachers and students were surveyed after they had used and reflected on their experience in a traditional, row-by-column desk/table classroom and then again in a learning environment designed for active learning. The latter featured more casual, mobile furniture and learning tools arranged in thoughtful proximities.

What students reported:

79% reported a somewhat or much better experience in the active learning classroom, with a:
56% increase in creativity
46% increase in motivation to learn
41% increase in connection with others
36% increase in problem solving

One student reflected, “The active learning classroom was great for coming up with new ideas and for working together as a team. The environment is more relaxed and gives us more opportunities to move around and get creative.”

What instructors reported:

They said the active learning space supported the type of teaching and learning that they want in their classrooms. They also noticed improved student behaviors and mindsets. In the “agreed or strongly agreed” category:

85% said the space supported their desired teaching and learning
58% said students have access to a variety of tools
47% said they could move furniture into new layouts
46% said students could co-create content

“[Students] seem to form community much faster/earlier in the semester. I think the environment enables more one-on-one than in a traditional classroom, which I believe impacts a student’s learning,” a teacher added.

How to Create an Active Learning Classroom

Designing and outfitting a classroom for active learning doesn't have to be complicated or pricey. But it should be designed for how students learn, not solely what they learn. Physical space must support co-learning, co-creation and open discussion to fully capitalize on the benefits of active learning.

That’s a big reason why K–12 classroom furniture selection is so important, across all grade levels. The right pieces can create a physical space that fosters – not fights – the active learning curriculum – and helps maximize space.

Five Design Tips for Creating an Active Learning Environment

1. Flexibility

Active learning furniture is fast furniture. Literally. It’s designed for students and teachers to quickly reconfigure their space to the active learning assignment (not shoe-horn the assignment into the space).

Furniture Suggestions:

Keep pieces moveable and modular for a natural flow between solo work, small group and whole-group work, and from “seating to meeting.” Consider modern classroom chairs, student desks and/or classroom tables with casters. For example, Numbers Mobile Chair is a modernized traditional chair with optional 360-degree seating.

2. Options.

Active learning is student centered. So should classroom design. Give students more autonomy to choose their most productive, comfortable ways to learn. Teachers should have more furniture options, too, for efficiently delivering ALS.

Furniture Suggestions

Provide a mix of flexible seating options [See Top 10 Benefits of a Flexible Seating Classroom] and work surfaces. For example, offer sit-stand desks, adjustable-height stools, and upholstered seating, like Smith System’s Flowform® casual benches, soft rocker and ottoman.

3. Work Zones

The active learning classroom is often a hive of activity. Expandable work zones are a good way to focus movement and attention. Teachers might have nooks dedicated to small-group work, hands-on making, content creation, solo study and more.

Furniture Suggestions:

Consider adding versatile seating, tables and ottomans from Smith System’s Flowform® Learn Lounge line. Partial dividers like the Flowform® Learn Lounge Screen can help differentiate work zones.

4. Multi-Purpose.

Quick access to a variety of digital and analog tools is a must in the active learning classroom. Teachers can maximize their space by selecting furniture that does double, even triple, duty.

Furniture Suggestions:

Look for multi-functional furniture pieces, like Smith System’s Cascade® Maker Table. It provides a rugged work surface and generous storage space. Also consider mobile Cascade® Storage Units with attached whiteboards.

5. Technology Enabled:

Provide ample power sources. Also make Wi-Fi fast and reliable in hallways, cafés, and in between spaces so students can be mobile.

Furniture Suggestions:

Include a mix of meeting tables with power accessories. Add interactive whiteboards, virtual learning devices and other tech tools. [See How Technology is Shaping the Future of Learning.]

Smith System Can Help Activate Your Space

Active learning classrooms can look like a lot of different things, especially across grade levels. Professor Robert Talbert, Ph.D., and professor with Grand Valley State University, has researched the effectiveness of active learning classrooms. He agreed that ALS require educators to be a catalyst for change.

“The [classrooms] where we see the best results for student learning and engagement really allow students to do whatever they need to learn.” (Albeit, within reason and with proper teaching training and tools.)

If your school isn’t sure where to begin, contact us. A Smith System representative can help your school or district set up a pilot classroom with school furniture designed to create a dynamic active learning environment.

Resources

https://eab.com/insights/daily-briefing/facilities/7-steps-to-designing-an-active-learning-classroom/

https://www.edapp.com/blog/benefits-of-active-learning/

https://www.shive-hattery.com/publication/universal-language-active-learning-architecture

https://www.steelcase.com/research/articles/topics/learning/lessons-learned/

https://www.viewsonic.com/library/education/active-learning-matters/

https://www.wwu.edu/teachinghandbook/student_engagement/active_learning_toolkit.shtml

The Power of Choice–Platinum & Clear Totes Now Available

rebeccab — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 18:25:28 +0000

Organize Your Classroom with Smith System’s New, Solid Storage Totes

Storage bins, boxes, totes or trays. No matter what they’re called, these compact classroom organization tools provide big solutions. So much so that decreasing visual clutter in learning spaces can actually increase learning outcomes.

With that in mind, Smith System has changed its versatile line of Cascade® Totes for its classroom storage units and select student desks and teacher desks. Beginning this spring, schools will have not one, but two, options in tote aesthetics: Either the clear plastic or our newest non-see-through, platinum solid gray finish.

Each option provides a different degree of decluttering – basically, to see or not to see the corralled contents. Regardless, both transferrable tote choices help teachers conquer classroom storage, as well as storage needs for busy makerspaces, science labs, art rooms, media centers, etc.

Bonus: The Gratnells' platinum totes have already been in use for decades in education environments in nearly 70 countries worldwide. That helps Smith System’s school furniture better meet global standards for 21^st century classroom and furniture design. [See Q&A at the end of this blog.]

Why Promote Totes?

Improved Learning Research has found that students in organized and structured classrooms demonstrate more on-task behavior and higher academic achievement. That’s not surprising. Adults know how chaotic it feels having a messy workplace or home. It can be overwhelming. Classrooms are similar.

As one teacher said, “A disorganized classroom can pull a student’s attention to irrelevant details and interrupt their ability to sustain focus.”

A Focused Formula: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Every teacher has their own approach to classroom and materials management. Some educators run a tight ship; others, not so much. Yet a decluttered classroom offers several advantages that can improve focus and, in turn, learning.

Create Less Distraction

Visual clutter is visually demanding for our brains. An orderly classroom reduces distraction and, likewise, brain drain. That helps students and teachers focus on the current activity or assignment. Plus, better organization leaves more time for learning.

Professor Peter Barrett was lead investigator on the Clever Classrooms: Education design for learning report. It was a large study of school buildings and the impact of the pupils in them, done by the University of Safford in Manchester, England. The comprehensive effort yielded “Top 10 Ways to Innovate the Learning Space.” Among the findings was the importance of managing clutter.

“Visual complexity is another level of stimulation, and it should be in the middle. Not too busy. Not too boring. This means [teachers] need to ... keep about 20 to 50 percent of a wall clear, or it can look very chaotic,” Barrett said.

In other words, stow papers rather than staple, tape or pin to walls. Stash away bigger items, rather than stack on shelves and floors.

Accommodate Students with Learning Differences

A well-organized classroom creates a more equitable learning space for neurodivergent students with learning differences. That might include autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD, as well as anxiety or even strong visual learners prone to distraction. These students often perform better with minimal visual (and auditory) clutter.

That’s according to Reading Rockets, a national public media literacy initiative. An article on its website equated the unorganized classroom to a community bulletin board plastered with notices and ads. When students with ASD are bombarded with too much stimulus, processing may slow down, or if overloaded, stop completely.

Students presented information in an orderly fashion and in a less cluttered space, are much more likely to read and digest information.

Role model organization skills for students

Executive functions, such as judgment, prioritizing and critical thinking do not come natural to students. They have to learn them. The same is true for organizational skills. And students who learn them at a younger age are more likely to carry those lessons into high school, college and careers.

Smith System’s mobile Cascade® Storage units, Flowform® Curved Storage, and Flowform® Straight Storage open shelves can show students the benefits of staying organized.

What Teachers Say about Classroom Organization

Even Benjamin Franklin believed in the power of being organized. He famously said, “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” Here are online comments made by today’s teachers about why classroom storage is an essential part of overall classroom management.

“Everything in the classroom should have a home. Homes can be cabinets, boxes, bins, drawers, folders … anything that gives an item a place to ‘live.’”

“Organized classrooms lead to a clearer headspace for teachers and less visual stimulation (umm … distraction!) for those kiddos.”

“Classroom organization is important because it allows you to have more time, space, and energy to focus on the things that truly matter in your classroom – your students.”

“Once you learn how to be an organized teacher, you are going to free up so much time and mental capacity to spend on things like lesson planning, grading, interacting with students and creating engaging lessons.”

“When things in our classroom have a designated home, students take better care of the resources. We know exactly where to find them, and it adds a sense of calm to our learning spaces!

Q&A on the New Platinum Totes

Below are quick answers to questions we’re receiving about the new totes.

When will the new totes be available?

Ready to ship in Spring 2023.

What are color and sizes options for the new totes?

At this time, the new totes are available in platinum (fastest shipment) and clear (longer lead time) finishes. There are three standard-width options and one extra-wide:

17”d x 12 ¼” w x 3”h

17”d x 12 ¼”w x 6”h

17”d x 12 ¼”w x 12”h

15 ¾”d x 18 ½”w x 3”h

What materials are the new totes made of?

A fully recyclable polypropylene that’s safe, light-weight and easy for kids to transport and put back in place.

What is the warranty?

Smith System offers a lifetime replacement warranty on all totes.

We’re Ready to Help You Store More

If you’re looking for innovative, efficient ways to organize your school or learning spaces, contact us. You can also request our free catalog in digital or print.

Resources

https://www.edutopia.org/article/building-secondary-students-organizational-skills?utm_content=linkpos2&utm_source=edu-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly-2023-01-18

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/clean-your-act-creating-organized-classroom-environment-students-spectrum

https://www.schoolplanner.com/barriers-student-success/

https://thesimplyorganizedteacher.com/simplify-classroom-organization/

Leaping into Latin America: Smith System Expands Furniture Footprint

schuylerw — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 20:57:12 +0000

Every day, on every continent, teachers and students are together on a learning journey. Smith System believes the opportunities to inspire both are endless, especially with innovative, insights-driven school furniture.

With that in mind, educational furniture suppliers Smith System and its parent company, Steelcase, have announced the designation of six new Premier Dealer Partners. Each will bring integrated furniture solutions to learning environments in key regions of Latin America: The growing education markets of Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Peru, Chile and Puerto Rico.

Delivering the Synergy of Furniture Expertise + Regional Insight

Premier Dealer Partners around the world work closely with Smith System and Steelcase teams to understand the larger trends in learning and the individual needs of schools. The six new dealers in Latin America will combine their knowledge of regional education stakeholders with Steelcase and Smith System’s collective expertise in quality classroom furniture, leading-edge design, and dependable delivery.

Mark Walters, sales manager with Smith System’s international and GSA division, explained how, collectively, Smith System, Steelcase and regional dealers can improve student learning across Latin American.

“We’re extremely excited about the benefits we can provide this education market. By combining our user insights and innovative solutions with the design and project management expertise of our local partners, we can help solve the unique challenges of Latin American schools in innovative and unexpected ways.”

Advancing Learning Equity

Since 1905, Smith System has created quality furniture solutions – from ergonomic school chairs, student desks and classroom tables, to modern makerspace classrooms, STEM or STEAM labs, and libraries. Equally important, the company has guided school administrators and educators in how to buy school furniture that maximizes quality, functionality and comfort with affordability. [See 10 Steps to Buying School Furniture.]

Smith System’s merger with Steelcase in 2018 greatly expanded Smith System’s ability to bring its “Built for Learning” mindset to educational environments beyond the U.S. and traditional K–12 settings.

“We’ve seen how the right tools can spark inspiration and advance equitable learning,” Walters said. “Expanding our global footprint will bring a level of service and product design to help support deserving students and teachers, alike.” 

Each of the new Premiere Dealer Partners is uniquely positioned to outfit schools and classrooms with innovative product solutions. The new dealers are:

EZGO in Colombia
Ergotec in Dominican Republic
Bash
Tribecca
AFD

Creating Engaging Learning Spaces in Latin America and Beyond

Above all, our team is committed to creating spaces that encourage engagement, collaboration and well-being. That holds true for students and the communities that surround the most important of institutions – our schools – no matter what continent they inhabit.

Together, we look forward to sharing our deep insights with schools in Latin America. We’ll be providing published literature, experiences and events, and as always, innovative product solutions that inspire 21st Century learning.

Is your school searching for innovative school furniture? See our Resource Library for helpful tools and download our latest furniture catalog here.

Furniture Overhaul Turns Special Ed Science Classroom into ‘Science Oasis’

schuylerw — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 19:45:28 +0000

Being a force for change requires mighty determination. Teacher Katherine Winick’s abundance in that department – and her clear need for better student collaboration options, makerspace and classroom storage – helped her win the 2022 dancker ReImagine Your Classroom Contest.

Mrs. Winick’s grand prize was a wall-to-wall classroom furniture overhaul by contest co-sponsors dancker (interiors integrator) of New Jersey and Smith System (classroom furniture). The annual contest was open to K–12 schools in New Jersey with over 125 students. The goal, said Mary Lynn Kearns with dancker, is to create better learning experiences for deserving students and teachers.

“Returning to the post-Covid classroom is still hard for a lot of students and teachers,” she said. “We wanted to brighten Mrs. Winick’s challenging space with great classroom design and furniture. We’ve seen how that can improve student engagement and make teaching more enjoyable.”

New to this year’s contest was offering second- and third-place furniture prizes, too. Congratulations to second-place winner Kim Rosa-Benway, a Special Education teacher at Mount Vernon School in Newark, New Jersey, and third-place winner Jessica Bostwick, a general education teacher at Angelo L. Tomaso Elementary School in Warren, New Jersey

Special Ed Students Deserve Equal Footing

Educators applying to the contest had to complete two parts: 1) create a video showing and describing the challenges of their current classroom or learning space, and 2) describe their dream space and how it would improve teaching and learning.

There were many deserving entries. But Winick’s had a heartfelt component that particularly impressed contest judges, which included Bethanne Strippoli winner of the 2021 dancker ReImagine Your Classroom Contest.

For the past six years, Winick has been the Special Education Science teacher for grades 6–8 at Central Middle School (CMS) in Parsippany, New Jersey. She’s also a passionate advocate for her students.

“I want to give [them] the opportunity to learn in a room that doesn’t make them feel less than their peers. There is a lot of stigma associated with Special Education, especially at the middle school level when students are learning more about themselves and their disabilities,” Winick explained in her entry.

She acknowledged the unique behavioral needs of many of her students and the fact that special education staff frequently join the lesson to support kids. Many require one-on-one paraprofessional support in the classroom, too.

A Whole Lotta Heavy Metal

Looking back, Winick had faced many challenges in creating an ideal classroom for her students, who she has for three consecutive academic years. In her first year at CMS, her classroom was a mobile cart she pushed from room to room and floor to floor via the school’s elevator.

The following year, she inherited a former computer classroom in the basement. It came with nearly a dozen old-style metal filing cabinets, several computer desks and tables, and a behemoth teacher’s desk circa the late 1960s. The biggest problems were lack of storage and cumbersome collaboration. Nothing was mobile or light weight.

“We didn’t have enough storage for all of our amazing lab equipment, and we didn’t have lab tables. We had old computer tables that weren’t the most conducive to group work.” Also missing were flexible seating options. (Many of her students have ADHD and self-regulate with movement.)

Winick’s steely determination kicked into high gear.

“Our kids are absolutely wonderful. They deserve every opportunity, just like any other kid, and we have to get [new] furniture somehow,” she thought. She searched for programs and grants online and applied for the dancker ReImagine Your Classroom Contest in the spring of 2022. She’d been a finalist the previous year.

Second Time's a Charm

In late May, Winick learned she had won first place. She was thrilled. The classroom makeover would be a game-changer for her students – one of whom had shared that her birthday wish last year was for Winick’s entry to win.

There were many incredible entries, according to Mary Lynn Kearns with dancker. But Winick’s clearly conveyed an obvious need.

“The judges recognized that her current layout and furniture were very outdated and not supportive of a middle school classroom or Special Education students,” Kearns added.

Everything But the Fish Tank

In June, the dancker team toured Winick’s classroom, took photos (her space has a lot of oddly placed pipes and vents) and measurements. One thing was immediately clear. To maximize space and create the optimum learning environment, everything but the fish tank had to go. Thankfully, Winick had reviewed Smith System furniture ahead of developing her entry, so she knew the possibilities.

During collaborative design sessions with Winick, the team worked to achieve a new layout. By July, dancker was ready to host the final design session at its Experience Center in Somerville, NJ, for Winick and a few of her peers. Winick had the final say on all furniture and finish decisions; dancker placed the order with Smith System.

The "ReImagined" Furniture Arrives

The new Smith System furniture was installed in late October, just before parent-teacher conferences. There’s variety, but also a calming cohesiveness among seating and work surfaces, storage units, and a new, compact Motum Mobile Lectern for Winick. Casters are included throughout most of the lineup’s items in soothing gray, blue and green.

Here are some highlights:

Classroom Tables

There are three Planner® Studio Science Tables. One is a fixed height of 29 inches and two are café-style at 36 inches. All tables easily seat four and are on locking casters. The table’s ½-inch thick work surfaces are designed to meet the demands of science projects.
“Collaboration has been so much easier,” Winick said. “Everyone is set and ready in groups of four, and the students can move tables themselves to get closer to outlets.” She likes how the tables’ size helps prevent spills and better accommodates the paraprofessionals.
The room’s focal point is a mobile Cascade® Maker Table with versatile shelves and a hearty butcher block work surface. Previously, Winick would “take over” a student table to demonstrate a project.
“Now, I can meet with individual students at the Makerspace table. The supplies are there; there’s enough space to work. It’s become our engineering table,” she added. She’ll also sit at the Planner tables for small-group work.

Classroom Storage

In the past, the lack of convenient, multi-functional storage made lab work difficult and more time-consuming for Winick. Her prep time was spent setting up labs and then strategically tucking things away. Now, “Everything has a home.”
Her room includes a Cascade® Teacher Wardrobe Cabinet and four Cascade® Mega-Cabinets, two with shelves and one with portable totes. All include casters and versatile whiteboards – which her students love – are attached to the storage units.

Classroom Chairs and Stools

Special emphasis was put on providing more flexible seating options, both upholstered seating and non-upholstered seating, stationery and active (with movement): flexible Flavors® chairs and stools, Groove® Backless Stools, and stackable Oodle® stools. In the past, it was awkward and too obvious when a student would stand while learning. Now, students are empowered to select how and where they can learn best.

A Cool-Off Spot and Computer Corner

dancker created a cozy, lounge-like corner by combining pieces from Smith System's soft, upholstered Flowform® line, including a soft rocker, ottoman, and curved bean bench. The area is separated with a low Flowform® Curved Storage unit.

- “We have a lot of different behavior situations. Sometimes, kids need space to themselves. So they’ve been loving the cool-off spot. They can still pay attention and have a little more privacy, but I can still see them,” Winick described.
- Her classroom also has a tidy computer corner, ideal for one-on-one or small-group learning. The space features a gently curved Elemental® Yin Yang Table paired with Oodle stools.

Student Reactions Upon Reveal

Although Winick’s students knew that new furniture was coming, they didn’t know what it would look like. During installation, Winick covered the window in her classroom door to prevent sneak peeks. Each arriving class got to have its own first experience.

Here are some student comments:

I like that we have a lot of different places to sit.
I like that the tables are on wheels and we can push them. The other ones were so heavy.
I like the couch and the wobble stools.
The couch, because it’s really relaxing and it kinda looks like ... a talk show.
The butcher block table is so beautiful.
The chairs and the tables – I want to sit in my favorite color, blue.

“Seeing the joy on students’ faces and excitement in their voices has been wonderful. This experience has been one that we will never forget,” Winick explained. After the students had a few weeks to settle in, dancker hosted a fun grand opening celebration with treats for students and staff, balloons and a short presentation.

View the Reaction Video Here

'Thank-Yous' All Around

Mrs. Winick expressed her deep gratitude to dancker and Smith System.

“dancker, your design expertise helped us create a space that students could feel comfortable in, where they could enjoy learning. Smith System, your furniture has solved all of my storage woes and provided us with truly functional furniture. Thank you for helping us transform this space into our very own science oasis.”

Mary Lynn Kearns with dancker also expressed her appreciation for Smith System’s partnership. “Smith System is the leader in classroom design and furniture for the education market. We love collaborating with them to co-create a teacher’s dream classroom.”

The contest sponsors and judges thank all of the contestants for submitting their videos. But even more so, we thank all teachers, administrators and schools for everything they do to advance student learning and improve lives. You inspire us!

Leveraging Technology to Support Student Wellbeing

schuylerw — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:31:56 +0000

Before the pandemic struck schools, it was rare to hear “technology” and “wellbeing” in the same sentence. Now, K–12 educators are learning to leverage digital technologies to foster students’ wellbeing and inclusion throughout schools.

Welcome to Part Two in our three-part blog series devoted to digital transformation trends in education. We're aggregating top insights on three higher-level topics related to education technology, or ed tech:

Part One: How Technology is Shaping the Future of Learning

Part Two: Leveraging Technology to Support Student Wellbeing

Part Three: Designing Flexible Learning Spaces for Ed Tech Integration –Coming Soon

Throughout the blogs, we’ve included helpful classroom furniture tips. Afterall, buying new classroom furniture can be a big assist in capitalizing on ed tech’s teaching and learning benefits. (See How School Classroom Furniture Can Improve Student Learning.)

Five Types of Student Wellbeing

Let's unpack what wellbeing is. In a K-12 education setting, supporting student wellbeing means making sure every student can reach their full potential, feel involved and get the most from their education. Making progress toward student wellbeing requires recognizing there are different types of wellbeing that are interconnected:

Cognitive Wellbeing - the level of knowledge and competencies required for a student to do well academically. This includes educational equity.
Psychological Wellbeing - the overall functioning of a student's opinions and feelings, a core component of mental health.
Physical Wellbeing - a student’s physical wellness and capacity to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Social Wellbeing - a student’s ability to make connections and build healthy relationships with family, peers, educators, and community members. (See this blog on social emotional learning.)
Digital Wellbeing - a student’s ability to have a mindful relationship with digital media. It means practicing healthy education technology habits like self-regulation, and knowing online risks and rules, for example, how to prevent and react to cyberbullying. The classroom provides a perfect opportunity to learn about digital wellness.

The Pandemic's Punch to Student Wellbeing

COVID deepened a crisis in student wellbeing that was already at play before the pandemic hit. Today, nearly half of all students will experience mental health challenges at some point during their time in grades K–12.

Academically, “The pandemic has smacked American students back to the last century in math and reading achievement.” That’s according to Education Week who reported on the spring 2022 test results from the first National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test that was administered since the pandemic began.

The results showed the biggest drop in math performance in 4th and 8th grades since the testing program began in 1990. In reading, 4th and 8th graders were performing on par with students in the 1990s, and about one-third of students in both grades can’t read at even the “basic” achievement level (the lowest level on the test).

Leveraging Technology to Boost Student Mental Health

There’s no single, obvious fix for students in crisis. However, Professor Dianne Vella-Broadrick with The Center for Wellbeing Science at the University of Melbourne believes in the power of technology to help.

“The use of technology in schools to promote wellbeing and performance will improve the student learning experience and shape a new generation of young people who know how to be resilient, motivated, focused and calm.” She believes technology offers new, powerful ways to promote student wellbeing, and specifically, mental health.

LearnWell, a Massachusetts-based provider of integrated academic and mental health services for students and their families, agrees with that thinking. In an article titled, “Using Technology to Support Student Mental Health Needs,” the company said technology can benefit students of all ages across a wide range of mental health needs.

Here are three ways LearnWell said schools can use technology for student wellbeing.

Telehealth and Teletherapy

School therapists can offer online therapy and check-ins with students. Using telehealth tools, mental health support is possible for students who struggle with scheduling or attending traditional therapy, or who might have conditions like anxiety that prohibit in-person visits.

Digital Programs and Apps for Meditation and Regulating Emotions

Students can benefit from programs on their personal devices to supplement, or in place of, professional mental health support. Apps for meditation can help students cope with feelings of stress and anxiety, while increasing mindfulness. Some schools provide access to these tech tools in school calm rooms.

Technology to Report, Track, and Address Student Mental Health Concerns

It’s important for everyone involved in a student’s continuum of care be on the same page. Technology is a useful tool to connect the adults responsible for flagging emerging mental health needs and addressing them before they escalate.

Examples of Software Designed for Student Wellness

Recently, more software has appeared that allows students to self-report their wellbeing with their teachers. One example is Skodel. The company believes that relying solely on teacher observations to effectively manage student wellbeing isn’t enough. Technology can fill the gaps.

“Our research has shown a willingness from children and young people to speak up, so long as they have the right outlet to do so.” Skodel allows students to provide their teachers with regular, confidential digital check-ins through emojis, photos and illustrations, as well as open-ended responses.

Another example is Bio-Dash. Professor Vella-Brodrick and her research team developed the Bio-Dash app to teach students how to manage their own wellbeing through biofeedback and gamification.

By using a tablet or smartphone to engage in biofeedback and gamification tasks, students can get information about whether they are in relaxed, neutral, or stressed zones. Traffic light signals appear on the screen or auditory nature cues, like waves or birds singing, become quieter as students become calm and grow louder with stress.

Bio-Dash also lets students do performance tasks. In one such task, students transform an icy, winter forest scene into one that is green and bright with summer features. The greater the levels of relaxation, the faster the scene transforms. Other tasks in the Bio-Dash program mimic real-world student stressors, like high-pressure academic activities and public speaking.

School Furniture Should Support Technology and Wellbeing

Creating learning spaces that dually support the digital transformation in the educator sector and student wellbeing requires keeping a few things in mind. Obviously, schools must provide seamless connectivity. But they must also factor in what empowers students to use ed tech tools in healthy and comfortable ways, with some degree of privacy when needed. For example:

Choice

Create classrooms and other learning spacing that foster student wellbeing by offering them personal choice, control, and variety in seating. Include traditional options, like Smith System’s Numbers suite of chairs and versatile tables for K–12 schools. Then add soft, upholstered seating options like Smith System’s new Flowform^® Learn Lounge.

Ergonomics

Choose furniture with supportive ergonomics for using devices. Students love soft seating, but their growing bodies need ample back support for developing postures. Tables and desks should be the right width and height for ergonomics, too, to avoid floor work.

The Flowform^®Learn Lounge product line includes everything needed for supportive ed tech learning. There’s durable soft seating (single or double) with the same dimensions of an ergonomically designed student chair, plus various tables and ottomans – all with optional surface power – that give students comfortable work surfaces.

Creativity and Privacy

Students can adopt some extreme postures when they’re on their devices, especially phones. The curves of the organically shaped Flowform^® pieces work together to support more comfortable, and healthy positions. In addition, Flowform^® includes partial privacy screens, which are critical when students are self-reporting on their wellbeing.

Also, keep tech tools (tablets, laptops, headsets, goggles, etc.) organized to help create a calmer environment. Smith System’s Flowform^®and Cascade^® classroom storage options make it easy.

Keep the Ed Tech Conversation Going

The debate over how much technology is too much in K–12 education is ongoing. There are pros and cons on each side; sometimes, unplugging is the best choice of all.

But, most educators can agree on one aspect. Digital technology alone is not/will not transform education. It requires people thoughtfully using digital technology as an effective tool to foster a culture of learning – and wellbeing – for students and teachers.

Through these transitions, Smith System will continue to provide smartly designed school furniture at a great value to help schools stay ahead of the digital transformation in the educator sector. Contact us to learn more.

Resources

https://learnwellservices.com/using-technology-support-student-mental-health-needs/

https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/how-technology-is-boosting-our-young-people-s-wellbeing

https://www.ednewsdaily.com/using-technology-to-foster-student-wellbeing/

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/two-decades-of-progress-nearly-gone-national-math-reading-scores-hit-historic-lows/2022/10?utm_source=nl&utm_medium=eml&utm_campaign=eu&M=5365516&UUID=56e749968e8f1a6b29e4cb4380ec4d4b&T=7259946

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01563/full

https://www.k12blueprint.com/sites/default/files/SHI-K12BP-Digital-Transformation-in-K-12-Education.pdf

Designing Flexible Learning Spaces for Ed Tech Integration

schuylerw — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:07:11 +0000

A generation ago, a school “laptop” literally meant your lap (i.e., a convenient place to park a textbook). “Gamification” was surviving dodgeball in gym class. Not anymore. Today, the tools and terms of digital transformation in the education sector continue to redefine school curricula and design.

Foremost, schools – and the furniture within them – demand flexible learning spaces with seamless educational technology integration. Designers also need a good dose of predictive thinking that incorporates educational technology trends.

Welcome to Part Three in our three-part blog series devoted to the tsunamic effects of the K–12 digital transformations. We’re aggregating top insights on three higher-level topics related to educational technology, or ed tech:

Part One: How Ed Tech Advances are Reshaping K–12 Education

Part Two: Leveraging Technology to Improve Student Wellbeing

Part Three: Designing Flexible Learning Spaces for Ed Tech Integration

Throughout the blogs, we’ve included helpful classroom furniture tips. After all, buying new classroom furniture can be a big assist in capitalizing on ed tech teaching and learning benefits. (See How School Classroom Furniture Can Improve Student Learning.)

Technology is Rapidly Growing in Schools

How prolific is technology in K–12 schools? We know it varies by grade level and district. But the average number of tech products school districts access in a given month has almost tripled over the last several years, from 548 during the 2017-18 school year, to 1,417 during the 2021-22 school year. That’s according to a report recently released by LearnPlatform, which helps districts measure the effectiveness of their digital products.

Adding tech upon tech isn’t the end-all answer. Classrooms and learning spaces in K–12 schools must be designed and furnished to seamlessly blend educational technology into productive, healthy, inclusive physical space that create well-rounded students.

“The physical and digital spaces where education takes place have lifelong psychological impacts on students’ ability to feel safe, welcome and absorb knowledge, and how they behave, learn and relate to each other,” said design studio ThoughtMatter. “As we look to the future, we must reconsider and rebuild educational spaces to be accessible to all; to meet students where they are and easily flex to new and changing needs.”

Ed Tech Tools Learning Spaces Must Incorporate

Without question, technology has removed the physical barriers of classroom walls. Schools are using tech products to allow more distance and hybrid learning for students, as well as tools like SmartBoards, 3-D printers, VR headsets and more.

Beyond the rise of 1:1 and BYOD learning environments, here are some of the technology schools that are – or will be – using, based on much aggregated online research, opinion pieces and what future teachers are being taught:

Digital Voice Assistants - Digital voice assistants (Alexa and Siri) can provide immediate, objective feedback to students in the absence of a teacher or parent. Students can quickly check spelling, translate a foreign word, or get answers to basic geography, math and history questions.
Augmented and Virtual Reality - Augmented reality, virtual reality, or some combination of the two — collectively referred to as extended reality (XR) — will become integral components of K-12 education and redefine “active learning.” EdWeek reported on a 2019 survey where the education sector tied with healthcare as the most applicable for XR expansion. Students can learn spatial concepts, attend virtual field trips or compete on afterschool esports teams.
Digital Makerspaces - Tech-equipped studios can let students design and produce creative projects like podcasts, video games, animations, 3-D printed materials, and digital models.

Predictions for How Tech Will Change Learning Space Design

The speed and tools of the digital transformation in the educator sector have influenced school and classroom design, perhaps, more than any other variable. Steelcase predicts these changes ahead:

Spaces that are Both Physical + Digital

Learning spaces are no longer just physical spaces; they become digital and hybrid. Schools will move away from a one-size fits all model and create a greater variety of adaptive learning spaces.

Five new high schools broke ground in Minnesota in 2021. All were designed by Wold Architects + Engineers. The firm's Partner and Education Lead, Vaughn Dierks, talked about the must-haves for high schools during an interview with Building Design & Construction.

“When most people think of schools, they’re envisioning classrooms and labs on both sides of a hall ... it’s an industrialized model. It isn’t that way anymore. What we know now is everybody learns differently. We need a wider variety of spaces that are designed around [that].”

Spaces that Support Deeper Learning Experiences

As the earlier steps of learning (remembering, understanding) get pushed online, physical learning spaces will need to support higher-level learning and have the flexibility to fold-in future ed tech solutions that enable the shift.

Spaces that Support Equity in Education

Spaces are designed to make technology equally accessible to all students, teachers, and districts, regardless of location.

Patricia J. Brown is director of technology services at Ladue School District, Missouri. She commented on educational equity during a recent Education Week panel discussion on technology in classrooms.

“It’s not that more affluent schools have more technology. The major difference in equities is about how it’s used: what can students create and how can they collaborate. In urban districts, [technology] is used more for testing and rote learning.” She also emphasized the importance of providing teachers personalized professional support to make tech equity in education possible.

Spaces that Support "Human" Skills

The value of physical space shifts to support experiences that can’t be replicated in the digital world. For students, that means growing their skills in:

Communication
Collaboration
Social Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence
Cross-Cultural Competencies

Brown added, “Do we want students to just consume knowledge or learn the four C’s [critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication]?”

Buy School Furniture to Support Hyper-Flexible, Tech-Driven Classrooms

Greater classroom flexibility is one of the most common requests made by teachers. They want easily-accessible tech tools and multifunctional furniture that adapts to serve teachers’ teaching methods and students’ learning preferences.

Progressive K-12 school furniture manufacturers like Smith System are at the forefront of designing furniture that supports highly flexible learning spaces, from one classroom to entire schools, including in-between spaces. Schools designers, like Vaughn Dierks with Wold Architects + Engineers is witnessing the benefits.

“Overall, we’ve seen such a huge improvement in furnishings and technology over the last decade, and we’ll continue to see that, especially with technology. Flexibility in those environments can really change a building without modifying the architecture, in terms of what students need.”

Smith System K-12 furniture includes innovative, highly flexible pieces that help ensure devices and internet access are within reach. For example, Smith System’s new Flowform^® Learn Lounge includes everything needed for ed tech learning and it empowers students to customize spaces for academic and social learning.

There’s durable soft seating (single or double) with the same dimensions of an ergonomically designed student chair. Then Smith System added various tables and ottomans – all with optional surface power – that give students comfortable work surfaces. The curves of the organically shaped Flowform^® pieces work together to support more comfortable positions for working on devices and Flowform^® includes partial privacy screens for extra visual and acoustical privacy.

Students, teachers and schools benefit with greater flexibility to:

Adapt to changing technology - Students can easily reposition around tech devices and power sources to collaborate in-person and with students learning virtually.
Receive fast access to technology - Students have tables and surfaces with built-in power to prevent battery drain, as well as interruptions in teaching and learning.
Learn with personal comfort and more options - Students have more seating options to support different work styles, postures and activities while using tech devices. If students want more traditional seating and tables, Smith System’s Numbers suite of chairs and tables offer support and functionality at a great value.

Don't Forget Technology Storage

Having access to technology doesn’t mean devices should be used in every lesson. In fact, being strategic about device use makes educational technology more effective and it helps students learn healthy boundaries. Keep ed tech tools (tablets, laptops, headsets, goggles, etc.) organized and secure with Smith System’s Flowform^® or Cascade^® classroom storage options.

Change is Good. Smith System Furniture Enables It

Education will never return to when a mouse was something you dreaded seeing in a classroom, and “whiteboard” meant the classroom corkboard stapled with white construction paper.

The K-12 digital transformation is about change: changing attitudes and the enabling of educators, parents and school leaders to fully realize the benefits of digital technologies. That will require designing flexible learning spaces and flexible school furniture that allows seamless ed tech integration.

Smith System is leading the way. If your school or district is preparing to buy new school furniture, request our catalog today and see how one manufacturer can provide innovative K-12 furniture solutions for multiple learning spaces.

Resources

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/10/12/big-ideas-to-redesign-k-12-for-the-automation-age/

https://www.edweek.org/technology/the-number-of-ed-tech-tools-school-districts-use-has-almost-tripled-thats-a-problem/2022/08

https://medium.com/thoughtmatter/what-is-the-classroom-of-the-future-229e559b50dd

https://online.ewu.edu/degrees/education/med/curriculum-and-instruction/k12-technology-trends/

How Technology is Shaping the Future of Learning

rebeccab — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 15:27:20 +0000

There’s an undeniable digital transformation underway in K–12 education. Its scope and pace are shaping the future of learning, teaching, and the physical spaces and furniture that support them, for sure.

That’s the catalyst behind this three-part blog series devoted to the tsunamic effects of the K–12 digital transformation. We’ve aggregated top insights on three higher-level topics related to educational technology, or ed tech:

Part One: How Technology is Shaping the Future of Learning

Part Two: Leveraging Technology to Support Student Wellbeing –Coming Soon

Part Three: Designing Flexible Learning Spaces for Ed Tech Integration –Coming Soon

Digital Transformation Train Picks Up Speed

The process of transitioning from traditional teaching practices to those that use digital technology isn’t new, nor finite. It’s been happening for decades, and the pandemic accelerated it. Remote and hybrid learning put pressure on school administrators, teachers, students, and parents to adopt ed tech options. Fast.

Post-pandemic, the gist of the digital transformation in K–12 education remains the same. On a broad level, it’s about leveraging ed tech to improve learning outcomes by creating:

Greater student engagement
Customized learning experiences
More efficient use of class time

This could mean anything, from virtual field trips for students to new software that streamlines classroom management for teachers. It’s a fundamental shift, according to the academic experts who wrote the UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) article, “The Digital Transformation of K–12: A Viewpoint.”

“[This is] ... not a digital transition, but digital transformation. Words do count here, and what is being proposed is truly a dramatic and fundamental break with the past. Analog, paper-and-pencil technologies, while comfortable and effective – for some – are not the building blocks of the future.”

EducationWeek recently said that schools benefiting most from the digital transformation will be open to change; have systems and structures in place that foster innovation, while ensuring that technology use is always relevant to the learning context. Proper, personalized teacher supports are essential, too.

A Deluge of Digital Tools

Today, educators are inundated with ed tech options. Granted, some are in the early adoption phase [see this archived bog, Virtual Reality in the Classroom.] But remember, those contraptions called computers and cellular phones were once tech infants, too!

There are now entire “smart” or tech-driven classrooms. They most likely include interactive whiteboards; assessment software programs that test students’ understanding of material covered in class; online instruction (live or on-demand), and parent communication platforms.

One acronym for the range of digital technologies encompassed by the term “digital” is SMAAC:

At a minimum, 1:1 devices allow students (and teachers) to quickly access information and search for extra materials in real-time or on-demand at a later time.

Five Ways Technology is Reshaping Learning and Teaching

Though the tools (and their cost) vary greatly, experts agree that digital transformation tools are moving teaching in a learner-centered direction. Here’s how.

Personalized Learning

Data-driven software is allowing teachers to track specific strengths, interests and needs of each student; adaptive learning technologies are letting students take ownership of their learning and progress at their own pace.

Differentiated and Individualized Instruction

Students learn at different paces and have a variety of learning processes. Ed tech tools let teachers tailor the curriculum to facilitate learning to groups of students or individual students. For example, ed tech software can make instruction more interactive, simplified or challenging. This approach benefits all learners, from those struggling to the gifted and talented.

Democratized Learning

The growing footprint of ed tech means schools can now use online resources and extend those learning benefits to students who would otherwise not have access. Instead of relying on physical infrastructure, e-platforms (like virtual tutors) can be accessible from anywhere. This means more opportunities for underserved and remote areas. And, neurodiverse students or students with physical disabilities have equal access, thanks to modified tech options.

More Immersive and Engaging Learning

A prime example of this is the metaverse, which education experts believe will – and, in some cases, already – have a huge impact on learning. Vriti Saraf, founder and CEO of k20 Educators, a global social learning community, explains that the metaverse is “a virtual version of everything you can do in real life.” She gives this example, if teaching about the human body.

Limitless Collaborative Learning

As ed tech improves, collaboration can unite students from around the world. It can allow for cross-cultural exchanges and have kids who can’t physically attend school work remotely with their peers. That’s a big boost for personal, interpersonal and cognitive skills growth.

Classroom Furniture Can Foster the Digital Transformation

Creating learning spaces that support the digital transformation require big-picture thinking. It’s about curating flexible environments for ed tech’s benefits to flourish.

One ed tech company explained, “There are many ways that schools can ensure they are making the most of [the] digital transformation. Teachers must be able to integrate technology into their teaching styles ... administrators need to create an environment where technology can be used effectively across all areas of the school.”

Smith System’s K-12 furniture masters that. It includes innovative pieces that help ensure devices and internet access are available when and where students need it. A good example is Smith System's new Flowform® Learn Lounge.

The product line includes everything needed for ed tech learning. There’s durable soft seating (single or double) with the same dimensions of an ergonomically designed student chair. Various tables and ottomans – all with optional surface power – give students comfortable work surfaces. Together, the curves of the organically shaped Flowform pieces support more comfortable positions for working on devices. Flowform also includes partial privacy screens.

For a more traditional sit with highly versatile tables, Smith System offers the Numbers suite of chairs and tables for K–12 schools. The chairs deliver ultimate comfort, quality and value in an appealing designs for all students.

Lastly, to keep ed tech tools (tablets, laptops, headsets, goggles, etc.) organized and secure, there’s Flowform or Cascade® classroom storage options.

What’s Next for Digital Transformation in Education?

Historically, learning technology has been developed reactively, deployed to solve specific educational challenges. EdSurge media said that’s changing.

“[The] tools have become a more proactive solution, providing innovative ways for schools to evolve alongside the changing needs in education and enabling teachers to connect with and engage more learners than ever before — wherever and however learning may be happening.”

What will that look like for educators? For one, they use technology to achieve higher levels of engagement throughout the learning process. As costs go down, look for more immersive technologies, namely, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) and, later on, extended reality (XR).

Keep the Ed Tech Conversation Going

Learn more about the digital transformation in K–12 education and the importance of buying new classroom furniture to leveraging education technology. Contact us today and/or request a free catalog in digital or print.

Resources

"Technology Tension: Why Isn’t Every School Pushing Digital Learning to the Next Level?" Education Week virtual panel discussion. Oct. 19, 2022.

https://edly.io/blog/how-ed-tech-is-transforming-k12-education/

https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2022/06/metaverse-already-here-and-k-12-schools-are-using-it-education

https://mgiep.unesco.org/article/the-digital-transformation-of-k-12-a-viewpoint

https://www.compnow.com.au/it-knowledge-base/digital-transformation-in-education/

https://www.edsurge.com/research/guides/how-is-technology-shaping-the-future-of-k-12-education

https://www.edutopia.org/article/handy-framework-choosing-edtech

https://www.k12blueprint.com/sites/default/files/SHI-K12BP-Embracing-Transformation.pdf

https://www.softermii.com/blog/the-impact-of-digital-transformation-in-education-sector

Smith System Launches Flowform® Learn Lounge

rebeccab — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 13:39:41 +0000

The next generation of school furniture for relaxed, collaborative learning has landed.

Smith System’s new Flowform^® Learn Lounge empowers students to customize spaces for academic and social learning. The stylish product line offers comfortable and transformable lounge furniture pieces that work in unison to provide what’s missing in many nontraditional seating spaces – ergonomic seating and work surfaces that promote healthier, engaged learning postures.

Ideal for Flexible Collaboration

Intended for grades 5–12, Flowform^® Learn Lounge gives students the freedom to curate entire collaborative learningscapes with fun, push-into-place school furniture. The lounge furniture product line includes highly versatile seating, tables and ottomans, flexible acoustical/privacy screens, and integrated power options.

How Flowform^® Learn Lounge Works

Though sold separately, the pieces are designed to work as a system. Collectively, they prevent awkward, even harmful, sitting positions. That includes uncomfortably leaning or slouching over too-low (or no) work surfaces often out of arm’s reach, a frequent culprit of lounge-style sitting and task areas.

For inspiration, Smith System drew upon the stylish, organic shapes of its Flowform^® products. Then it applied added ergonomic features. The moderately priced lounge furniture line includes:

Flowform^® Learn Lounge Soft Seating (with caster option)

Single or double upholstered, subtly curved bench-style seating with firm back support (same dimensions as an ergonomically designed student chair.)

Casters are sold separately

Flowform^® Learn Lounge Tables (with integrated power options)

Four, softly curved tables and a circular ottoman that work with the curved seating to minimize the distance between work surfaces and seating.

Flowform^® Learn Lounge Screens

Sound-dampening, flexible dividers that conveniently roll up for storage or repositioning; 48-inch-height provides student privacy without blocking teacher sight lines.

Furniture to Promote Student Wellness

Student (and teacher) well-being is paramount. Flowform^® Learn Lounge empowers students to customize spaces for academic and social learning. They can choose where and how to sit, with extra visual and acoustical privacy, and the tools to keep devices charged.

Flowform^® Learn Lounge is available for order through Smith System dealers, beginning November 2022.

Learn More

Browse Smith System’s entire website of innovative PreK–12 classroom furniture built to inspire 21^st Century education, and a multitude of learning and teaching styles.

About Smith System

Back in 1905, Smith System was a different company than we are today. We built heaters for one-room schools. And then water fountains – and lavatory systems. It was a simple mission – to keep kids warm, hydrated and clean, so they could focus on learning. But we soon discovered that, beyond those basic needs, there were other ways we could help. The more we worked for schools, the more we saw an ever-evolving environment that needed a furniture maker to nurture the change. So, we stepped in.

What’s cool is that our original purpose never stopped guiding us. We still come to work every day to serve the “one-room schools.” Because in reality, every student learns a little differently, every teacher teaches a little differently and every classroom needs a unique solution.

We believe (with a heck of a lot of passion) that every student and teacher deserves the best possible space to inspire learning. And that’s what led us to what we are today: A company designed to deliver on the needs of education better than anyone else in the industry.

Employee Spotlight – Meet Tracy Oakry Craver

schuylerw — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 14:11:34 +0000

TRACY OAKRY CRAVER

Production Supervisor

For this month’s edition of our Employee Spotlight series, get to know Tracy Oakry Craver. Discover the most challenging aspect of Tracy’s job, her favorite hobby, and why she loves working at Smith System.

How long have you worked at Smith System?

I've been with the company now for about 4 years.

What are some of your favorite aspects of your job?

I like the people, it's great to meet so many different characters. I love my team, they are awesome. I also like the excitement of the job.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

My biggest challenge is navigating different personality types. I tend to be very energetic and animated, so I have to make sure I am collaborating and supervising in a manner that meshes well with everyone.

What's a tool you cannot go without at work?

My leads, and I know they aren't technically a tool but they are a huge resource. The knowledge they bring to the table is tremendous, they know what it takes to keep our line running smoothly. It's also important to have access to my computer to see what's been pulled, and not pulled.

(Tracy and her team leads below.)

Now it’s time for some fun questions! Halloween is right around the corner, what's your favorite scary movie?

Oh no. I don't do scary movies. Once a blue moon I will watch one, but I don't have a favorite.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Africa for many reasons, it would be amazing to experience the culture.

What's one thing you could never live without?

Jesus. My faith comes first.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Crafting, is my favorite pass time. I love making these wreaths during the holidays. Cooking and watching football with my family is also important to me.

(Tracy's hand crafted wreaths featured below)

For current job opportunities, please visit www.smithsystem.com/about-us/careers/.

Employee Spotlight – Meet George Nwoye

schuylerw — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 21:46:04 +0000

For this month’s edition of our Employee Spotlight series, get to know George Nwoye. Discover the most challenging aspect of George’s job, one thing he could never live without, and his favorite aspects of working at Smith System.

How long have you worked at Smith System?

This is my twelfth year at Smith System and I am a Production Line Lead.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

The biggest challenge I face is during the summertime, we are very busy and have many new hires. We spend time training and have new employees shadowing.

What are some of your favorite aspects of your job?

I love to work T-Mold, that's what I do best in this business. As of now, I know I am the fastest in the company.

What's a tool you cannot go without at work?

It's important to have an air hammer and sciccors when installing T-Molds.

Now it’s time for some fun questions! If you had a time machine where would you go, when, and what would you do?

I would go back in time to watch the dinosaurs.

If you could play any instrument, what would it be and why?

I think it would be fun to play in a Jazz Band, I would probably play the drums.

What do you like to do outside of Smith System?

I love to play soccer, one of my favorite teams to watch is Chelsea. I am also a traditional dancer.

(George's wife Esther and his children, Daniel, David, Divine, and Olivia)

What is something you could never live without?

I could not go without my family or my favorite sport, soccer.

For current job opportunities, please visit www.smithsystem.com/about-us/careers/.

How to Choose Early Childhood Furniture for PreK Classrooms

schuylerw — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 20:48:38 +0000

As research proves the benefits of early childhood education, there’s a push for more states to require PreK programs. Educators can prepare now by learning how to create engaging environments for little learners. It begins with choosing high-quality early childhood classroom furniture.

Little Kids are Primed for Big Learning

Let’s begin with an intriguing thought: If intelligence is defined as the ability to learn, children between the ages of 2 and 7 may be the most intelligent humans on the planet.

The Edutopia article titled, “Why Ages 2–7 Matter So Much for Brain Development,” explains how children’s brains develop in spurts called “critical periods.” The first occurs around age 2 and concludes around age 7, with a second one occurring during adolescence. At the start of these periods, the number of connections (synapses) between brain cells (neurons) doubles.

This first period of brain development is particularly critical. It provides a golden opportunity to lay the foundation for a holistic education for children. Four ways to maximize this critical period include encouraging a love of learning, focusing on breadth instead of depth, paying attention to emotional intelligence, and not treating young children’s education as merely a precursor to “real” learning.

Is There a Difference Between Preschool and PreK? Yes!

How the PreK classroom is furnished includes a lot of nuance to meet specific learning goals. For this blog, we’re focused on how to select classroom furniture for pre-kindergarten (PreK) classrooms, not preschool. They are not the same.

Preschool programs typically serve children between 2 and 4 years old, while PreK is usually reserved for 4- and 5-year-olds. Both preschool and PreK have school readiness as a focus in their programs. But the curriculum is different.

Preschool is heavily focused on play. The PreK curriculum is designed to get kids ready for kindergarten, through academic and social emotional learning (SEL), and fun activities that strengthen fine motor skills. Activities also emphasize helping students develop foundational knowledge in literacy, math, writing, science and more. Students are given plenty of opportunities to interaction and collaborate with others, too.

Research Shows the Benefits of PreK Education

The National Institute for Early Childhood Research says that research has overwhelmingly found that children benefit from attending PreK. They are better prepared for school, less likely to be held back, demonstrate better cognitive and language skills in kindergarten, and have fewer behavior problems in the classroom.

Tennessee’s targeted PreK program is a solid example of how PreK can boost school readiness. An ongoing independent evaluation has found that during the year before kindergarten, PreK children develop literacy, language and math skills faster than non-participating children. Gains made by PreK children are 37 to 176% greater than those of non-PreK children and persist into the elementary grades.

When they begin kindergarten, PreK children are rated more highly than their peers on teachers’ assessments of overall school readiness, too.

5 Tips for Selecting Early Childhood Classroom Furniture

So, how does this information influence choosing PreK classroom furniture? The right furniture sets the stage to launch profound early learning by cuing students thoughts, feelings and actions. The furniture defines the space and figuratively speaks to students.

For example, a carpet square for circle time conveys a more relaxed vibe. A comfortable, right-sized student chair and collaborative activity table, says, “It’s time to calm your body, quiet your voice, and focus on the instructions or task ahead.”

At Smith System, we know that young students are especially sensitive to their environment. Here’s what we tell schools to consider when selecting PreK student chairs, tables and storage designed to welcome students and support busy teachers.

PreK Furniture Size: Scale to Students’ World

There’s a lot more to effective early childhood school furniture than simply scaling-down elementary classroom furniture. PreK kids are still developing confidence in controlling their bodies. They need to feel stable and supported. In short (pun intended), chairs should be right-sized so students’ feet touch the floor when they sit. Table height should allow their arms to naturally rest for fine-motor work.

For PreK students, classroom chair height should be 12 inches and classroom table height about 22 inches. At the kindergarten level, chair height changes to an equal mix of 12-inch chairs and 14-inch chairs. Kindergarten table height is an equal mix of 22- and 24-inch heights. See Smith System’s Classroom Furniture Height Guide.

PreK Seating: Mix it up. Keep it comfy.

Most kids in PreK have very pliable bodies. They like to sit (or straddle, spread out, bounce, etc.) in the most creative ways. It’s fun! That’s why it’s so important to give them options for traditional and nontraditional classroom seating.

Smith’s Flavors® Stack Chair is a four-position school chair that allows the student to sit comfortably facing front, either side or rear. A flexible seat back contains, but doesn’t restrict, fidgeting. In fact, more movement encourages the student to be alert and happy, by assuring that they are both mentally and physically comfortable.

For nontraditional seating, consider Smith’s Oodle® stool. The basic Oodle features three cylinder-shaped components, each 17 inches in diameter and 6.5 inches high.

Educators can set them up for use individually or assist students in stacking them higher. Additionally, by simply flipping a separate, floor-facing disc insert 180 degrees, students can sit still (the insert’s flat side) or enjoy 10 degrees of multidirectional rocking motion (the insert’s convex side).

PreK Tables: Soft Curves and Angles

Shape, another design element of early childhood furniture, can subtly communicate familiarity and comfort to students. Activity tables with soft curves and gentle angles are welcoming to tender ages.

Smith System offers a full suite of table options in various fun, yet highly functional, shapes. Many feature fixed-height with glide, fixed-height with caster, or adjustable-height. Consider the Elemental® Horseshoe Table, the Elemental® 5-Star Table (accommodates five students) or the Elemental® 6-Star Table (accommodates six students).

There’s also the Elemental® Kidney Table or the playful Interchange® Cookie Table. It has a versatile shape that can be used as a single “cookie” table or joined with other “cookies” for a larger collaborative space.

PreK Storage: Cubbies Corral the Clutter

Keeping the PreK classroom organized is a must for teacher sanity and student safety. In addition, an organized classroom helps students focus as they learn better self-control, physically and mentally.

Having a durable, kid-friendly system can both maximize storage and make cleaning-up part of the curriculum. Smith’s mobile Cascade® Cubby, especially the six-compartment unit, offers a low, open-shelf layout that students can easily reach. Scalable and flexible, Cascade Cubbies are a comprehensive classroom shelving solution for any learning environment.

PreK Furniture Color: Bright Without Bombarding

There’s an art to choosing color in PreK classrooms. It can be a powerful design principle, in positive and negative ways, setting the mood and defining spaces. While the temptation may be to fill a PreK space with brightly colored furniture, think through the entire classroom design, including its contents, too. Brightly colored student artwork, manipulatives and books can create a busy backdrop.

Some schools choose a neutral background for PreK classrooms, with a few well-chosen accent colors in table edges and legs, and chair finishes and shell colors. Smith System offers a vast spectrum of colors to complement classroom design goals.

PreK Furniture Quality: Durable for Little Doers

Kids of the PreK age are still learning how to control their bodies. Coordination, size and strength vary widely, which can make students hard on their surroundings.

When choosing new furnishings for your early educational environment, go for quality and check the warranty. Many manufacturers offer a one-year limited warranty. Smith System offers a lifetime warranty on frames and legs and a 12-year warranty on tables and desktops. For details, see Smith System® Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Set the Stage for High-Quality PreK Learning with High-Quality PreK Furniture

Choosing high quality furniture for early childhood education classroom doesn’t automatically equate to a high-quality learning experience. But the right PreK student chairs, desks and storage can set the stage to foster a love of learning in a safe, comfortable, engaging space. That goes a long way to creating a more level playing field for all early learners. (FYI: How School Classroom Furniture Can Improve Student Learning.)

To prepare for upcoming PreK mandates in your community, contact Smith System today. We inspire the PreK–12 classroom experience with innovative school classroom furniture built for learning.

Resources

https://abcearlylearning.com/preschool-vs-pre-kindergarten-similarities-and-differences

https://www.edutopia.org/article/why-ages-2-7-matter-so-much-brain-development

https://nieer.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/YB2020_Executive_Summary_080521.pdf

https://outscholar.com/is-preschool-required-heres-what-the-law-says/

https://www.route-fifty.com/health-human-services/2021/11/cost-states-expand-free-pre-k-under-biden-plan/186722/

http://www.urbanchildinstitute.org/resources/policy-briefs/pre-k-matters